


the issue on the table

by VagabondDawn



Series: meddling in the middle (of a military mess) [2]
Category: Dreaming of Sunshine - Silver Queen
Genre: Alternate Universe - The Many Gardens of Shikabane-hime, Gen, Silver Queen's Dreaming of Sunshine Universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-15 22:08:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29565876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VagabondDawn/pseuds/VagabondDawn
Summary: If Shikako were really the ROOT ninja she's pretending to be, she would probably suspect Ibiki of monitoring her. A secret observation, disguised as a friendly meeting for lunch. Clearly, the stated purpose of 'getting food together' is simply a ruse because it's needless and unproductive.
Relationships: Shikako Nara & Ibiki Morino
Series: meddling in the middle (of a military mess) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2172099
Comments: 33
Kudos: 448
Collections: Dreaming of Sunshine Exchange 2020 C (Winter Round!), Heliocentrism — a Dreaming of Sunshine recursive collection





	the issue on the table

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wafflelate](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wafflelate/gifts).



Shikako stops at an ANBU changing station and puts on her Perfectly Generic Konoha Chunin Garb. It's perfectly bland and that almost makes her stand out — so few people wear the uniform without _any_ embellishment or hints of personality, without a scarf or bandanna or hairpiece or vest. 

The Root shinobi that Shikako is pretending to be is probably still a few weeks from that kind of personalisation, though. She doesn't really spend that much time wearing them, anyway, given that the majority of her missions have been in ANBU. 

"Ibiki Morino," she greets, arriving at their meeting location perfectly on time. 

If Shikako were really the ROOT ninja she's pretending to be, she would probably suspect Ibiki of monitoring her. A secret observation, disguised as a friendly meeting for lunch. Clearly, the stated purpose of 'getting food together' is simply a ruse because it's needless and unproductive. 

The real Shikako thinks it's kind of the opposite. Oh, not that Ibiki isn't observing her — he's always observing everyone, just like every other ninja — but the purpose is the socialisation and the implicit village-authorised-purpose is the reason that a nameless black ops ninja might be compelled to agree to it. 

But there is no village-authorised-purpose. The Third Hokage had waved a hand and Shikako had been issued a shiny new village ID (name: Katsura, like the tree), a shiny new ANBU mask (name: Finch), a shiny new apartment and exactly zero restrictions or probationary requirements. 

At the time of it's disbandment, ROOT had been a legitimate arm of ANBU, administrative hiccups notwithstanding. Sarutobi Hiruzen had seen no reason to do anything else. 

"Katsura," Ibiki says. He's always very particular about using her new name, like that might overwrite his reaction when she'd told him she didn't have one. 

Ibiki is a great friend. 

She falls into step as he starts walking, taking her in a different direction that she'd expected. Ibiki had been deciding where they went, taking them on a slow tour of fine Konoha eating establishments, from noodles to curry, from roadside food stalls to tea houses, but generally following a clockwise path around the center of the village. 

Today they're cutting west, past the Academy towards streets that are familiar to Shikako. 

"We'll get something at Hironobu's," Ibiki says. "The coffee there is good." 

Hironobu's is an Akimichi establishment, only a few streets over from the Yamanaka Flowershop. Shikako and Ino and Sakura had often gone their on their way home, or when they were spending an afternoon at Ino's. They'd known the food selection back to front, had had favourite orders and sometimes been laughingly given extras. 

Shikako hasn't been _avoiding_ this part of town. Avoidance is noticeable. But she hasn't been maximising her visits, either, on account of Inoichi being familiar with her clan in general and her family in particular. 

But when they walk past the shop, she turns inside. The bell above the door jangles, a familiar tone. Behind the counter, the twelve or thirteen year old ninja says, in a practiced customer service voice, "Hello. Welcome to the Yamanaka Flowershop. Would you like to buy an item?" 

It's Tenzou. If his name is Tenzou. 

She doesn't know him and he doesn't know her. But… 

He clearly recognises Ibiki. Maybe he'll put the clues together and guess where she came from. No one from Root would consider each other _comrades_ but… 

Maybe they would, if they were given the chance. 

"Yes," Shikako says because there isn't any other reason for her to have walked inside. "I would like to buy—" 

She casts around. She doesn't _actually_ want to buy anything. She doesn't like taking care of plants — always forgets to water them on schedule — and cut flowers will just die and she has no one to give them to. It seems a waste. 

"— an item," she finishes lamely. 

The two of them stare at each other, aware that this scripted conversation has reached a jam. Whoops. 

"This," Ibiki says, putting a small potted succulent on the counter. He seems to be masterfully refraining from rolling his eyes. 

"This," Shikako agrees and Tenzou obligingly looks up the price and rings it up on the register. "So. You are working here now?" 

"It is part of my training," Tenzou says, not quite defensively or justifying but only a shade or two away from it. "Learning to identify and work with different types of plant growth." 

"I see. That's good. Are there many differences?" 

She's glad _someone_ is looking after Tenzou and Inoichi was about as safe as it could get, at least now that Danzo was dead. Briefly, she wonders if Fu was already in ROOT, or if there had been another pre-Fu Yamanaka drawn into the program. It seems like the kind of skill that Danzo would always keep at hand. 

"Some," Tenzou says. "There is a much larger variety than I was previously exposed to. With some more time, it seems that I will be able to become more versatile in my techniques." 

"Good," Shikako says again, and then has no more real reason to keep hanging around the Flowershop. She _really_ doesn't want Inoichi to come out from the backroom where he's hanging around, either. "Take care." 

She walks down the street and realises she doesn't have to pretend to Ibiki that it was a coincidence, because she'd _asked_ Ibiki about Tenzou. "Thank you." 

"For what?" Ibiki asks. "You're both Konoha ninja in good standing. You're perfectly entitled to have a conversation." 

He only sounds a little sarcastic. It's probably not even directed at her. 

Hironobu's isn't super busy, so they even have a chance to claim a little table outside near the footpath. Shikako asks what the server recommends and orders that, which is a trick that always annoys Ibiki and hasn't failed her yet. Or, well — the food isn't always to her taste, but it stops her from seeming to have acknowledged preferences. 

Then she observes her new succulent. 

"This is a gift for you," she announces and puts it on what is clearly Ibiki's Half Of The Table. 

Ibiki narrows his eyes at her. "That is unnecessary. It's your possession. You're entitled to keep it to decorate your apartment." 

She can't possibly tell Ibiki that she keeps everything important in hammerspace and that's why her apartment is bare — it's nice he cares but also she's not winding up with a whole lot of houseplants. No way. Too much work. 

Hm. How would Sai deal with this? 

"I've read that it's a common social practice to give plantlife to friends and acquaintances," she says. "You helped select this one, so it clearly suits your taste. Have I made an error?" 

Ibiki's eyes continue to be narrowed. "That was well done," he says, grudgingly, which means he totally saw through her clunky manipulation. But it also means he's taking the plant. Success. 

Maybe pretend-ROOT-Shikako _is_ developing fast enough to start personalising her wardrobe, afterall. 

"Have you considered taking missions?" Ibiki asks, by which he means not-ANBU missions. 

Shikako considers it. It's not that she's opposed, and it _will_ be good to establish her identity eventually… "Can you recommend some General Forces ninja as mission partners?" she asks. It's always a little hard to keep track of who is how old and at what stage of their career they're at. 

"As a matter of fact," Ibiki says, which means he very much has a list for her. "Mitarashi Anko was asking me the exact same question a few days ago…" 


End file.
